Process of impregnating a liquid with a substance miscible therewith



1954 B. A. WOOD PROCESS OF IMPREGNATING A LIQUID WITH A SUBSTANCEMISCIBLE THEREWITH Original Filed Dec. 26, 1945 FIG INVENTOR BENNIEALFORD WOOD,

BY gag ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 10, 1954 PROCESS OF XMPREGNATING A LIQUIDWITH A SUBSTANCE MISCIBLE THERE- WITH Bennie Alford Wood, Memphis,Tenn., asslgnor,

by mesne assignments, to Soapsudzer, Incorporated, Memphis, Tenn., acorporation of Tennessee Original application December 26, 1945, SerialNo. 637,265, now Patent No. 2,538,720, dated January 16, 1951. Dividedand this application December 12, 1950, Serial No. 205,259

2 Claims.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial Number637,265 filed Decem ber 26, 1945, Patent Number 2,538,720 issued January26, 1951.

My invention consists in a new and useful im movement in process of andapparatus for impregnating a liquid with a solute miscible therewith,and is intended more particularly for producing a soap solution forlavation by impinging a jet of water against a mass of soluble soap,thereby eroding the mass by dissolving the soap from the surface of themass, the resulting soap solution flowing off for use. The particularlynovel and useful feature of the invention is the character of the jetand the mass of solute and their peculiar relation. The mass has asuitable contour, as for example cylindric, and the jet is annular andco-axial relative to the mass. In the practice of my improved method,the mass is moved axially, preferably by gravity, into the area of jetoperation so that the erosion of the mass by the jet occursprogressively axially of the mass. 1 have demonstrated by actualoperation of a device embodying my invention, under ordinary workingconditions of a restaurant utensil-cleaning sink, that the desired soapsolu' tion is produced efliciently and economically, the especiallydesirable feature being the economic, controlled consumption of thesoap. A particularly desirable feature of my invention is the controlprovided, whereby the movement of the mass of soap relative to the waterjet can be interrupted, thereby discontinuing the erosion of the mass,so that the water passes through the device untreated by the soap.

While I have illustrated in the drawing filed herewith and havehereinafter fully described one specific embodiment of my invention, itis to be distinctly understood that I do not consider my inventionlimited to said specific embodiment but refer for the scope of myinvention both as to the process and the apparatus to the claimsappended hereto.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation 01' a sink with the improved apparatusattached to the sink faucet.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the apparatus, the parts being adjustedto position the soap bar in the water jet.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section, at right angles to the planeof Fig. 2, the parts being adjusted to position the soap bar out of thewater jet.

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the apparatus.

As illustrated in the drawing, the device D has a centrally disposedcylindrical casing l to receive the soap bar B therein, its lower endbeing formed with an inwardly extending peripheral flange 2 at an angleof approximately 45 to the vertical axis of the bar B. Suitably mountedconcentric with the casing I is the annular water chamber 3 formed bythe downwardly converging outer wall 4 and inner wall 5. the lattermerging into the flange 2, and forming the annular nozzle 6. The waterchamber 3 is closed by the annular cover plate 1 extending between theupper edges of the walls 4 and 5, and connected with the casing l by anannular skirt 8. The chamber 3 is provided with an inlet pipe 9 tappedinto the cover 1 and having the coupling [0 for attachment to the faucetF of the sink S. A cap H is provided for the casing l, with a followerI2 for the soap bar B, which may be adjustable by stem l3 threaded inthe cap II. A concentric nozzle 14 depends from the water chamber 3 andis provided with two vertical diametrical slots 15 and it, each having ahorizontal extension I! with a shallow socket H3 at its end. Theextensions 11 are oppositely turned from the slot [5 and (6. A rod l9bridging the nozzle 14 is received in slots l5 and 16 and has anupwardly extending U-shaped portion 20 which the lower end B of the soapbar B contacts when the bar B is placed in the container l. The rod I!)has a suitable operating handle 2| on one end outside the nozzle I4.

From the foregoing description of the details of construction of myimproved apparatus, its use and operation in the practice of my improvedprocess will be obvious. When the apparatus D has been mounted on thefaucet F of the sink S, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the coupling It! beingattached to the faucet F and thereby connecting the pipe 9 of the waterchamber 3 with the faucet F, the soap bar B is placed in the casing Iand the cap It is placed over the top of the casing I, the follower I2resting on the upper end of the bar B, and the lower end B of the bar Bresting on the U-shaped portion 20 of the rod l9. When, as shown in Fig.2, the rod (9 is placed at the lower ends of the slots 15 and IS, thelower end B of the bar B is positioned below the horizontal plane of theannular nozzle 6, and when water is supplied by the faucet F throughpipe 9 to the water chamber 3, an annular jet is induced through nozzle6 impinging upon the end B of the bar B. Due to the conlclty of thechamber 3 and nozzle 6, this jet of water, indicated by the arrows W,from the nozzle 6 is an inverted cone tending to erode the end B,dissolving the soap into the flowing water, the soap solution flowingfrom the de vice D through the nozzle H, for use. When, as shown in Fig.3, the rod I9 is placed in sockets ill, the lower end B of the bar B ispositioned above the horizontal plane 01' the nozzle 6, and the flowingwater passes through nozzle 6 and out of the nozzle i4 without impingingupon the end B of the bar B, so that the water is untreated by the soap.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The process of producing a washing fluid by treating water with acleaning substance, which comprises so placing upon a support a solid,cylindrical mass of a cleaning substance which is soluble in water thatits longitudinal axis is vertical, eroding the lower end of said mass byapplying the water to be treated, under pressure, to the periphery ofsaid end, thereby causing the mass to descend by gravity, and dissolvingthe eroded substance into the water.

2. The process of alternatively supplying Wash water and a mixture ofwash water and a cleaning substance. which comprises so placing on asupport a solid, cylindrical mass of a cleaning substance which issoluble in water that its longitudinal axis is vertical, lowering saidmass by moving said support downwardly, eroding the lower end of saidmass by applying a flow of water under pressure to the periphery of saidend, thereby causing the mass to descend by gravity and the erodedsubstance to be dissolved in the water to supply a mixture of wash waterand the substance, and raising said mass by moving said support upwardlyto remove said end from said flow of water, to supply wash water.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

